Diwali, the festival of lights, falls on Sunday 8 November in 2026. Lots of families cook vegetarian food for the celebrations, and boxes of sweets go round to friends and neighbours. Here are the vegetarian curries, snacks and sweets from our kitchen that work well on a Diwali table.
A Diwali menu at a glance
- A rich dal: black dal (dal makhani)
- A paneer curry: paneer tikka masala
- A side: Bombay aloo
- Rice: vegetable rice
- Something sweet: sooji halwa or kheer
- Nothing on this page uses meat, fish or eggs
Vegetarian curries and dals
| Recipe | What it is | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Black dal | Black urad dal slow-cooked with tomato, butter and double cream | About 4 hours 35 minutes, plus overnight soaking |
| Paneer tikka masala | Spiced paneer in a tomato and yoghurt masala with fresh methi | About 35 minutes |
| Coconut and spinach chickpea curry | Chickpeas simmered in coconut milk with baby spinach and kasuri methi | About 35 minutes |
| Sweet and spicy pumpkin curry | Pumpkin cooked with jaggery and finished with a tadka of mustard seeds and curry leaves | About 1 hour 5 minutes |
| Kerala mango curry | Ripe mangoes in coconut cream with curry leaves and mustard seeds | About 25 minutes |
| Dalcha | Yellow dal cooked with aubergine, carrots, beans, courgette and peppers | About 1 hour 15 minutes |
Sides and rice
| Recipe | What it is | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Bombay aloo | Potatoes fried golden, then simmered in a spiced onion and tomato masala | About 1 hour 5 minutes |
| Vegetable rice | Rice cooked with mixed vegetables, whole cumin and cardamom | About 35 minutes |
Snacks
| Recipe | What it is | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Chole chaat | Tangy, spicy chickpeas with mustard seeds and curry leaves | About 20 minutes |
| Gulgulas | Sweet banana fritters with fennel seeds | About 20 minutes |
Sweets
| Recipe | What it is | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Sooji halwa | Semolina cooked in ghee with cardamom, nuts, raisins and pineapple. Makes enough for 16 | About 1 hour |
| Royal kheer | Rice pudding with cardamom, kewra water and plenty of nuts | About 1 hour 10 minutes |
| Chocolate coconut ice | Coconut ice made with condensed milk, topped with chocolate | About 2 hours 10 minutes, including setting |
| Burmese kaala halwa | A glossy Burmese sweet of coconut milk and jaggery | About 25 minutes |
| Burmese coconut jelly | Coconut jelly set with agar agar, so it is vegan | About 20 minutes, plus setting |
Planning ahead
- Start the dal early. Black dal needs an overnight soak and a long, slow cook, so make it the day before and reheat it.
- Give sweets time to set. Coconut ice and coconut jelly both need time in the fridge.
- Keep one quick curry. Paneer tikka masala and the chickpea curry take about 35 minutes, so they can be cooked on the day.
- Not sure about heat? The curry heat guide shows how hot each dish is.
Diwali food FAQs
When is Diwali in 2026?
Sunday 8 November 2026.
What food is eaten at Diwali?
It varies by family and region, but sweets are at the heart of it, with savoury snacks, dals and vegetarian curries for the main meal.
Is Diwali food vegetarian?
Often, though not always. Many families cook vegetarian food for Diwali, which is why every recipe on this page is vegetarian.
Which sweets can I make ahead?
Chocolate coconut ice and Burmese coconut jelly both need time to set, so they are good to make the day before.
